Protector for overshoe heels



Aug. 29, 1961 c. H. BINGHAM, JR

PROTECTOR FOR OVERSHOE HEELS Filed Jan. 12, 1960 INVENTOR. 66 1?. ,FW/a/a i:

ATTYS.

United States Patent W 2,997,795 PROTECTOR FOR OVERSHOE HEELS 7 George H. Bingham, Jr., Westminster, Md., assignor to Cambridge Rubber Company, Taneytown, Md., a corpoi'ation of Maryland Filed Jan. 12, 1960, Ser. No. 1,993 6 Claims. (Cl. 36--7.3)

This invention pertains to footwear, especially to waterproof overshoes or the like, including those having fabric, rubber or plastic uppers, and to an improved construe tion designed to prolong the useful life of the overshoe, particularly as respect its heel portion.

Within the past few years shoe stylists have decreed that high French heels for womens shoes shall taper downwardly to a tread portion of very small area, for example, of the order of one square centimeter, such extreme heels being commonly known as spike heels. Because the wear is concentratedon this small area, the leather top lift Wears very rapidly and in order to prolong the wear of such a heel it has become customary to employ a steel top lift. Since, at each step, the shoe heel momentarily bears almost the entire weight of the wearer of the shoe, the resultant unit downward force with which such a metallic heel lift strikes the ground is extremely high. The result is that when a shoe, having such heels, is worn with an overshoe, the area of the heel of the overshoe which is contacted by the steel heel lift is worn very rapidly and soon actually penetrated. Moreover, if a shoe having such a high heel be worn in an overshoe designed to receive a wider heel, the heel of the shoe may slip sidewise during walking until it actually punctures the side wall of the overshoe. Because of this extremely rapid destruction of the overshoe as a useful article, wearers often believe that this is a result of faulty construction of the overshoe and call upon the overshoe manufacturer to make a refund, and this practice has become so general that the overshoe manufacturers have suffered very substantial loss.

Much experiment has been carried out with the purpose of devising some way of increasing the useful life of an overshoe when worn with shoes having French heels of the above type, but no prior successful solution ofthe problem has been adopted commercially. In an effort to reinforce and protect the overshoe heel from damage by spike heels, metallic reinforce plates (for example, as shown in US. Patent No. 1,778,592 to Grueber), or cup-like devices (for example, as shown in U.S. Patent No. 1,119,277 to Gross) designed for insertion in a completed overshoe by the wearer or by the shoe merchant, have been proposed, but such proposed expedients have not been widely adopted. The modern French or spike heel tapers very rapidly from the heel seat level down to a metal top-lift of an area approximately that of a dime or even smaller, so that throughout the major portion of its height it receives no lateral support from. such a wear resisting appliance as that of the patent to Gross, for example. The mere provision of a hard, wear-resistant plate is not enough, since the harder and smoother the surface on which the tread of the spike heel rests, the greater the danger of lateral slippage with possible injury to the wearer and the more probable the puncturing of the side wall of the overshoe by the spike heel. More-' over, such prior devices, except such as are incorporated in the overshoe during manufacture, fit so loosely within the overshoe that they are easily displaced, or even lost, for example, from carelessness in dropping the overshoe after dolhng. Furthermore, some of these prior devices are of a type such that they are troublesome to manufacture, and restricted in use to a very narrow range of shoe sizes.

The primary object of the present invention is to pro- Patented Aug. 29, 1961 A further object is to provide protective means which protects not only the bottom of the heel of the overshoe, but also the lateral walls of the overshoe at its heel portion.

A further object is to provide a protecting device which distributes a portion, at least, of the shock of walking over the counter portion of the overshoe, thus reducing the intensity of the blow to which the bottom of the overshoe heel is normally subjected.

A further object is to provide a protecting device which is independent of the overshoe with which it is associated in use, so that no modification of the overshoe or its manufacture is required, and such that the protecting means may be introduced into an otherwise completed shoe, either by the shoe manufacturer, the retail merchant, or by the user himself.

A further object is to provide a protective device which may be packaged and sold as an independent article of manufacture in commerce for use in completed overs-hoes of conventional construction.

A further object is to provide a protective device which, when being installed within a shoe, automatically, by reason of its external shape, tends to seek the proper operative location, and when once installed, clings so firmly to the interior surface of the overshoe that it does not move relatively to the overshoe while the latter is being donned or during use and will not fall out if the overshoe be inverted.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the following more detailed description and by reference to the accompanying drawing's, wherein FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a protecting device according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation of the protecting device;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the protecting device;

FIG. 4 is a section substantiallly in the plane of the line 4--4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic side elevation of an overshoe having a heel portion such as to accommodate a shoe heel of the French type, showing in dotted lines a protective device of the present invention installed in position of use, and further showing in dotted lines a French heel of a shoe disposed within the hollow protective device;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section substantially on the line -6-'6 of FIG. 4 showing the protective device of the present invention (not assembled with an overshoe) with the rear portion of a shoe with its French heel disposed within the cavity of the protective device, to illustrate the relative position of these parts when the protective dew'ce is in use; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary section, on the same plane as FIG. 6, illustrative of a slight modification.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 5, there is shown an overshoe S having the upper U, the sole G and the heel l-I-the latter being hollow for the reception of a high heel, such as a French heel, forming a part of a shoe with which the overshoe is to be worn. This hollow heel H of the overshoe has the upright walls 12 and the bottom wall or tread member 13.

The protective device of the present invention, indicated by the character P, is designed to be placed within the hollow heel H of the overshoe and to protect said hollow heel from damage by the heel of the shoe with which the overshoe is worn. This protective device is a hollow, shell-like structure, desirably unitary and formed, forxample'by 'a molding operation. As a result of such molding operation, the external corners of the protector are rounded, so that the protector is easily slipped into an overshoe heel. While other materials may be employed, it is preferred to employ a synthetic plastic of a type which, when fully cured, is hard, tough, resiliently shape-retaining, and very wear-resistant. Such plastics are available commercially and may be obtained from plastic manufacturers upon request for a plastic having the above physical characteristics. As illustrated, this shell-like protector is hollow and open at the top for the reception of the heel of the shoe and comprises the side and rear wall 14 and the front wall 15, the side and rear Wall being contoured to conform more or less closely to the contour of the side and rear inner surfaces of the overshoe heel, while the front wall 15 is contoured to conform more or less closely to the breast surface of the overshoe heel, and as shown comprising a part 13a which contacts the shank portion of the sole of the overshoe. The general dimensions of the device are such that it will fit within the hollow heel H of the overshoe with which it is to be used, and, internally, of a height approximating that of the heel of the shoe with which the overshoe will be worn. It is contemplated that these protective devices may be made in a variety of sizes, for example, each respective size may be applicable to overshoes of a range of sizes. This protective device has the bottom or tread portion 16 (FIG. 4) whose area is suflicient to provide a supporting surface for the top lift T of the shoe heel. When made of a plastic material, as above suggested, the side and front walls of this protective device may, for example, be of the order of li of an inch in thickness, but, preferably, the bottom surface 16 may be somewhat thicker, for example, of an inch in thickness. Desirably the interior surface of this protector is smooth so that it will not mar the exposed surface of the shoe heel, but preferably the outer surface of the protector is so textured as to provide a substantial frictional grip against the inner surface of the hollow heel of the overshoe so that when the protector has been placed within the hollow heel of the overshoe it will remain in position during the donning and doifing of the overshoe, and even though the overshoe may be inverted. Such a frictional texture may be provided by forming the outer surface of the protector so as to have a large number of small projecting ribs, as shown at 17 (FIG. 5) desirably extending in a direction such as to resist upward movement of the protector when once installed in the hollow heel of the overshoe. However, the ribs may be arranged as desired, or may be replaced by other types of frictional surface as, for example, by the incorporation in the plastic of fibrous material which will produce a rough exterior surface, or the outer surface of the protector may be coated with an abrasive material.

Desirably, as illustrated, the height of the upstanding walls of the protector is such, and the upper marginal portion of the protector is so internally shaped and arranged, as indicated at M and N, that when an overshoe, provided with the protector, is donned, the lower part of the quarter of a shoe E provided with a spike heel F (FIG. 6) will contact the inner surface of this upper marginal portion of the protector, thus helping to keep the protector properly centered with reference to the hollow heel of the overshoe and also to cause the protector to support some at least of the downward pressure of the foot, thereby to relieve the tread member 16 of the protector of a certain amount of the force which would otherwise be exerted by the small tread surface of the shoe heel. As shown in FIG. 5, a shoe E has been disposed within the overshoe S, the protector P having first been placed in the hollow spike heel of the overshoe, and the high heel F of the shoe is located within the protector and with its tread surface T seated on the bottom 16 of the protector. The protector, as thus employed, protects the bottom 13 of the overshoe heel from direct contact with the toplift T of the shoe heel, the protector distributing the force exerted by the shoe heel over a substantially larger area of the tread surface of the overshoe heel than though the latter were exposed directly to the toplift of the shoe, and because the protector device bears against the side and front walls of the hollow heel H of the overshoe, a part of the downward force exerted by the shoe heel is applied to these side walls, thus further relieving the bottom 13 of theovers'hoe heel from undue pressure.

Moreover, because the protector has high, wear-resistant side and front walls, it prevents puncture of the sides of the overshoe heel. As illustrated in FIG. 7, a metal plate or other wear-resistant part 20 may be embedded in the tread portion 16 of the protector to provide additional protection.

' The protective device of the present invention may be made relatively cheaply according to a mass production procedure, and while it may be introduced into the heel of the overshoe by the manufacturer of the overshoe, it is contemplated that it may be packaged and sold in retail shoe'stores or other places where shoes are merchandised, so that the wearer of ordinary overshoes may purchase a pair of these protective devices for use in his overshoes and thus prolong the life of the latter. While, as above noted, it is contemplated that plastic material will ordinarily housed in making these protective devices; it is contemplated that they may, if desired, be made of metal such, for example, as aluminum, or molded from'; fibrous materials suitably bonded together, and it is to be understood that protective devices made of any of such materials, or which are otherwise modified, are to be considered as within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

I claim: I

1. A protector designed for installation in the heel of a completed overshoe when the latter is to be worn with a shoe having a spike heel whose top lift is of an area substantially less than that of the upper surface of the heel of the overshoe, said protector being a hollow, substantially rigid shell, having side and rear walls, a front wall and a tread portion, the side and rear walls of the protector being of a height, above the tread portion, approximately equal to the height of the spike heel of said shoe, the outer surface of the protector being of a size and contour such as closely to conform to the interior of the heel of the overshoe with whch the protector is worn, said outer surface of the protector, which contacts the inner surface of the overshoe being of a nature such as f-rictionally to resist removal of the prowhich is hard, tough and wear-resistant.

2. A protector according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the plastic shell is provided with outstanding ribs such as collectively to provide a friction surface.

3. A protector according to claim 1, wherein the side and rear and wall and the front wall of the protector are of such thickness and so outwardly and upwardly flared as to provide a peripheral support for the upper portion of the heel of the shoe, thereby helping to keep the shoe heel properly centered with reference to the protector, and also relieving the tread portion of the protector of some, at least, of the pressure which would otherwise be exerted by the small top lift of the shoe heel.

4. A shell-like protector for insertion in the heel of a completed overshoe, and which comprises a unitary mass contour of the breast surface of the overshoe heel and has an integral, forwardly directed extension at its upper part operative to overlie the rear portion of the shank of the sole of the overshoe, the bottom wall of the protector being of the order of inch in thickness and providing a wear-resistant tread portion of an area to form a support for the tread surface of the spike heel of a shoe, the general external dimensions of the protector being such that it will fit snugly within the hollow heel of the overshoe with which it is to be worn, the outer surface of the protector being so textured as to provide a frictional grip where it contacts the inner surface of the overshoe heel such that it will remain in place within the overshoe, after having been installed therein, even though the overshoe be inverted.

5. A shell-like protector for insertion in the heel of a completed overshoe, and which comprises a unitary mass of a hard, tough, and shape-retaining synthetic plastic, said protector being hollow and open at its top for the reception of the heel of a shoe and comprising side, rear and front walls and a bottom wall, the side and rear walls being of the order of ,4 inch in thickness and externally contoured to conform substantially to the contour of the inner surface of the overshoe heel, while the front wall is externally contoured to conform approximately to the contour of the breast surface of the overshoe heel, and has an integral, forwardly directed extension at its upper part operative to overlie the rear portion of the shank of the sole of the overshoe, the lower wall of the protector being of the order of inch in thickness and providing a wear-resistant tread portion of an area to form a support for the tread surface of the spike heel of a shoe, the internal shape and dimension of the protector being such that when worn with a shoe having a spike heel, the lower portion of the quarter of the shoe, immediately above said heel, will so contact the upper portion of the upstanding walls of the protector that said walls will sustain a portion of the weight of the wearer of the shoe, thereby reducing the pressure of the tread surface of the heel upon the bottom wall of the protector.

6. A shell-like protector for insertion in the heel of a completed overshoe, and which comprises a unitary mass of a hard, tough, and shape-retaining synthetic plastic, said protector being hollow and open at its top for the reception of the heel of a shoe and comprising side, rear and front walls and a bottom wall, the side and rear walls being of the order of 4 inch in thickness and externally contoured to conform substantially to the contour of the inner surface of the overshoe heel, while the front wall is externally contoured to conform approximately to the contour of the breast surface of the overshoe heel, and has an integral, forwardly directed extension at its upper part operative to overlie the rear portion of the shank of the sole of the overshoe, the lower wall of the protector being of the order of inch in thickness and providing a wear-resistant tread portion of an area to form a support for the tread surface of the spike heel of a shoe, the upwardly directed walls of the protector being of such a height and so internally contoured that when the protector is worn with a shoe having a spike heel, said walls provide a socket within which the quarter portion of the shoe, immediately above its heel, fits snugly thereby preventing lateral slippage of the spike heel relatively to the protector.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 914,477 Bracken et a1 Mar. 9, 1909 1,105,270 Grosky July 28, 1914 1,119,277 Gross Dec. 1, 1914 1,147,493 Ferguson July 20, 1915 2,076,514 Hoifman Apr. 6, 1987 2,108,572 Wilkinson Feb. 15, 1938 UNITED STATE PATENT. @FFECE @Emmmm o? CQERREQTWN Patent 2 997J95 29 1961 George H; Bingham It is hereby certified that orror appears in the above numbered pat ent requiring correction and that the said Letters: Patent should read as corrected below Column 4; line 58 strike out fand second occurrence Signed and sealed this 9th day of January 1.962,,

3 39, [Ame ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer DA'VKD L LADD Commissioner of Patents 

